International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) Trainer Practice Exam

Which movement would you describe as an adduction?

1. Lifting arm upwards

2. Pulling arm towards the body

3. Spreading fingers apart

4. Extending the leg backwards

The correct answer is: Pulling arm towards the body

Adduction refers to the movement of a body part toward the midline of the body. When considering the options provided, pulling the arm toward the body is the most accurate representation of adduction. This action decreases the angle between the limb and the midline, making it clear that the arm is being moved in a direction that brings it closer to the center of the body. In contrast, lifting the arm upwards is known as abduction when considering the arm's movement away from the midline. Spreading fingers apart involves moving them away from the center of the hand, which is also an abduction movement when looking holistically at the hand's structure. Extending the leg backward is classified as extension, a movement that increases the angle between the limb and the midline rather than bringing it closer to the body's center. Therefore, the choice of pulling the arm towards the body as representative of adduction is based on its alignment with the definition of the term.